Max Maurey was a French

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

born in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

in 1866 and died in

Neuilly-sur-Seine Neuilly-sur-Seine (; 'Neuilly-on-Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is an urban Communes of France, commune in the Hauts-de-Seine Departments of France, department just west of Paris in France. Immediately adjacent to the city, north of the ...

in 1947. He was also the theatre manager of the

Théâtre des Variétés The Théâtre des Variétés () is a theatre and "salle de spectacles" at 7–8, boulevard Montmartre, 2nd arrondissement, in Paris. It was declared a monument historique in 1974. History The theatre owed its creation to Mademoiselle Montans ...

from 1914 to 1940 and from 1944 to 1947, and director of the Théâtre du

Grand Guignol The Théâtre du Grand-Guignol () was a theater in the Pigalle district of Paris (7, cité Chaptal). From its opening in 1897 until its closing in 1962, it specialized in horror shows. Its name is often used as a general term for graphic, amor ...

from 1898 to 1914.

Biographical notes

He was an engineer, graduated from the

École des mines École or Ecole may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * Éco ...

and the

École centrale des Arts et Manufactures École or Ecole may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * Éco ...

. In 1897, he became managing director of the

Théâtre du Grand-Guignol The Théâtre du Grand-Guignol () was a theater in the Pigalle district of Paris (7, cité Chaptal). From its opening in 1897 until its closing in 1962, it specialized in horror shows. Its name is often used as a general term for graphic, amor ...

, a venue for which he wrote '' L'Atroce Volupté'' in collaboration with

Georges Neveux Georges Neveux (1900–1982) was a French dramatist and poet. Neveux's first notable work was the play ''Juliette, or Key of Dreams (Juliet or the key to dreams)'', written in 1927 and produced in 1930. It became the basis of Theodor Schaefer ...

. In 1914, he became director of the

and would remain in that position until his death. On 9 October 1928, '' Topaze'' by

Marcel Pagnol Marcel Paul Pagnol (, also ; ; 28 February 1895 – 18 April 1974) was a French novelist, playwright, and filmmaker. Regarded as an auteur, in 1946, he became the first filmmaker elected to the . Pagnol is generally regarded as one of France's ...

was premiered at the Théâtre des Variétés (with

André Lefaur André Lefaur (25 July 1879 – 5 December 1952) was a French film and theatre actor, notably working several times with director Sacha Guitry. Partial filmography * ''La Vénus d'Arles'' (1911) * ''L'homme qui assassina'' (1913) * ''Ainsi va l ...

, Pauley,

Pierre Larquey Pierre Larquey (10 July 1884 – 17 April 1962) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1913 and 1962. Born in Cénac, Gironde, France, he died in Maisons-Laffitte at the age of 77. Selected filmography * ''P ...

and

Marcel Vallée Marcel Vallée (15 January 1880, in Paris – 31 October 1957, in Fontaine-le-Port) was a French actor, primarily of the theater. He began working in films with Max Linder in 1906. He appeared in some American films. Selected filmography * '' ...

in the main roles) and was met with great success Raymond Castans, ''Marcel Pagnol'', Éditions de Fallois, 1995 In 1935, he was best man at the marriage of

Sacha Guitry Alexandre-Pierre Georges "Sacha" Guitry (; 21 February 188524 July 1957) was a French stage actor, film actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright of the boulevard theatre (aesthetic), boulevard theatre. He was the son of a leading French ac ...

and

Jacqueline Delubac Jacqueline Delubac (1907–1997) was a French stage and film actress.Williams. p. 158. She was married to actor, director and writer Sacha Guitry and appeared in a number of his productions on both stage and screen. Selected filmography * '' Ch� ...

. He died in

in 1947. He had three children: * Monique Maurey (1907–1998), who married

Max Hymans Max Hymans (2 March 1900 in Paris – 7 March 1961 in Saint-Cloud), was a notable leftist French politician, member of the resistance, and director of Air France from 1948 to 1961. Biography Max Hymans was born in Paris on 2 March 1900. ...

, * Denis Maurey (1910–1984), * Marcel Maurey (1914–2003).

Distinctions

* Commandeur of the

Legion of honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

* Honorary President of the Union of Parisian theaters directors. * An avenue of

Antibes Antibes (, , ; ) is a seaside city in the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in Southeastern France. It is located on the French Riviera between Cannes and Nice; its cape, the Cap d'Antibes, along with Cap Ferrat in Saint-Jean-Ca ...

, located at the entrance of the Cap bears his name, not far from the avenue

Henri Duvernois Henri Duvernois (4 March 1875 in Paris - 30 January 1937 in Paris) was a French novelist, playwright and screenwriter. Filmography *''La Guitare et le Jazz-band'', directed by Gaston Roudès (1923, based on the play ''La Guitare et le Jazz-b ...

who was a close friend.

References

External links

Plays by Max Maurey on Great War Theatre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maurey, Max French theatre managers and producers Writers from Paris 1866 births 1947 deaths Commanders of the Legion of Honour